paul the letter writer
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Paul the Letter Writer. By Chan Wai Hung. Introduction. Each Paul’s letter : Deal with different problems and issues Facing particular communities Distinctive contents Particular themes Is there any `Overall’ theology of Paul?. 1 Thessalonians. Place: from Corinth Time: 41-50CE - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Paul the Letter WriterBy Chan Wai Hung
IntroductionEach Paul’s letter :Deal with different problems and issuesFacing particular communitiesDistinctive contentsParticular themes
Is there any `Overall’ theology of Paul?
1 ThessaloniansPlace: from CorinthTime: 41-50CEThemes: made righteous or `justified’ by
faith, urged to live holy life and love one
another,Problem: The death before Jesus comeTeaching: The day of Lord will come suddenly
GalatiansPlace: southern part of the Roman provinceThemes: expresses Paul’s astonishment to
quick change of the church to other
gospel, urged to live holy life and love one
anotherProblem: The Galatians quickly turning to
another gospel, Application of Jewish Law and
circumcision,Teaching: Christian’s freedom doesn’t imply
immoral, Christian live in Spirit not under
law,
1 CorinthiansIssues: The divisions among the Church issues connected with those divisions (sexual immorality, taking case to
court, worship appearance, the Lord’s
Supper, use of spiritual gifts, the
resurrection…etc. )Teaching: urged to live holy life and love one
another
2 CorinthiansThemes: confrontation from Paul , comparing Paul with his opponents, Paul’s thankfulness
PhilemonTheme: Personal window on social
relationship in early churchIssue: Onesimus run away or done some
wrong things to his ownerTeaching: set free to Onesimus
PhilippiansTheme: RejoicingIssue: preaching of circumcision by Jewish-
Christian missionaries Teaching: stand firm in their commitment to
Christ, selfless love to one another
RomansTime: 55-58CE.Theme: Theological argument as base, Ethical instructionIssues: Paul need practical and spiritual
support, Tensions between Jewish and Gentile
Christian,Teachings: Both sides are under sin and
saved by God, justified by faith, released from
sin by dying with Christ, new life in the
Spirit
DiscussionCan we read Paul’s letter without the context?
Is there any difference between reading Paul’s letter as `overall’ Theology and as contextual response?
Criticism of Pauline lettersRhetorical criticism
Social Scientific approach Political approach
Feminist interpretation
Rhetorical criticismGreco-Roman Rhetoric : the art of public speaking to persuade the
listeners
Function:Understand letter structureExamine Paul’s style by techniques of that
timeGet the central thesis or argument of PaulAppreciate better to Paul’s art work
Rhetorical criticismHans Dieter Betz:The rhetorical structure of Galatians :The epistolary prescript (1.1-5) :openingThe exordium (1.6-11) :prepare the readerThe narratio (1.12-2.14) : statement of factsThe propositio (2.15-21): summary of narratio ,
main thesesThe probatio (3.1-4.31): The Proof of the caseThe exhortatio or paraenesis (5.1-6.10) : Exhortation and
instructionThe conlusio (6.11-18): sum up and final concerns
Margaret MitchellThree Types of rhetoric identifiedForensic or Judicial: persuade to make
judgment of past eventsDeliberative: persuade to take action in futureEpideictic: persuade to reaffirm points at
present
1 Corinthians as Deliberative rhetoric
Rhetorical criticism
Social-scientific approach Social-scientific approach: Use of theories from Anthropology and
Sociology
Function: understand relationship between early
Christians and the wider world
Social-scientific approach The social level of the Pauline Christians
Gerd Theissen (1974) : Corinth ChurchMajority lower classFew influential members from upper classMixed levels but very top and bottomJustin Meggitt(1998) `new consensus’Majority come from poor Close to subsistence level
Social-scientific approach The character of the Pauline congregationsMeeksBaptism works as `ritual of initiation’Lord’s Supper as `ritual of solidarity’Robin Scroggs (1975): NT Church as
Sociological `sects’Distinction between insider and outsider,Intensity of fellowship love,Egalitarianism and lack or organized hierarchy
Social-scientific approach Leadership in the Pauline churchesLack of formal officesSpirit’s gifts distributed not by official
positions Leadership positions started after Paul’s
deathBengt Holmbery: 3 levels of authority relationship of Paul:
with leaders in Jerusalem, over his own congregations, within those congregations themselves
Political approachRelationship between Paul and the Roman EmpireAdolf Deissmann,Parallelism between the cult of the emperor and
the cult of Christ,Christians using terms from emperor worshipRichard Horsley, (1997)Paul seems submission to the state, and see
imperial authority as instruments of GodBuilding new society as alternative to Rome
dominatonHousehold assemblies opposed the state
Feminist approachesFeminist:A modern debate about position of women in
society and church.
Function:Argued that Paul was in favour of women’s
liberation and equality
Feminist approachesElisabeth Schussler Fiorenza,
`In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Orgins ‘,1983
Reconstruct early history of Christianity,Suggested that the history was male centered,Text was written by man and interpreted by
man,
Feminist approachesThe earliest Christianity :
(i.e. Jesus movement & Pauline Church)
Equality in Spirit,Full and active participation of women,Husband and wife owe to one another , implies
equal and parallel status for both partners. (1 Corinthians 7)
Paul advice of free from marriage bond opposite to exiting law and culture, offered possibility of indepant of women.
Feminist approachesCorrection of interpretations of Paul’s teaching
about women in Church:
1 Cor 11.2-16 : all things come from God, women has rights to pray and prophesy
1 Cor 14.34-35 : wife, not womenCol3.18-4.1, Eph 5.21-6.9 The `household
codes’: Not Paul’s writing but his `patriarchal zed’ followers
DiscussionPaul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary.
Feminist approachesFiorenza:
Paul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary movement is double edged.
Affirms equality and freedom,Subordinates women’s behavior in marriage
and in worship.